Probate Staff Attorney

Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL) leverages the use of pro bono legal services to deliver client-centered free civil legal services to the greater Houston community. This includes criminal expunctions, family law, guardianship, estate planning, probate, tax disputes with the IRS, landlord/tenant disputes, homeownership, consumer issues, bankruptcy matters, and veteran-specific legal issues such as discharge upgrades and benefits appeals. HVL also provides a variety of support to self-represented litigants who are navigating the legal system without legal representation.

HVL seeks a full-time staff attorney for its Estate Planning and Probate programs. Primary responsibilities include evaluating the legal needs of service seekers, providing advice and counsel to clients, and mentoring volunteer attorneys working on pro bono cases. The individual in this position requires a high degree of professionalism, autonomy, and self-motivation. HVL has adopted a hybrid model where staff may work from home part of the week.

Key Areas of Responsibilities

• Provide legal consultations to individuals facing various civil legal issues, focusing primarily on probate and estate planning matters.
• Decide whether applicant’s legal needs are appropriate for volunteer representation through HVL.
• Analyze, investigate, and prepare client matters for referral to volunteer attorneys.
• Recruit and provide substantive mentoring to pro bono attorneys who are representing HVL clients, including potentially troubleshooting complex legal matters.
• Collaborate with other service organizations, judges, and community partners to creatively reach and serve individuals in need of free legal services.
• Develop subject-matter expertise in legal areas relevant to our clients to support HVL’s institutional knowledge on screening potential clients and supporting volunteer attorneys.
• Maintain timely documentation of all case-related activities, assist with grant reporting activities, and other tasks as assigned by HVL.

Education and Experience Required

• Juris Doctor and State Bar licensure in Texas, in good standing.
• A demonstrated interest in public interest law.
• Excellent time management & prioritization skills.
• Ability to empathetically engage with individuals facing barriers to accessing legal services.
• Strong legal analysis, writing, and communication skills.
• Adept at networking to empower and collaborate with pro bono attorneys and community partners.
• Ability to manage a caseload in accordance with internal policies and procedures.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. HVL does not discriminate against any person based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, ability, gender, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or other characteristics protected by law. Applicants committed to justice and equality from all backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and identities, and in particular those from underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply.

Benefits include fully paid health, vision and dental insurance; disability and life insurance options; a 401k defined contribution retirement plan with employer match available; paid State of Texas Bar dues and Houston Bar Association dues, professional development training, monthly parking paid, and reimbursed work-related expenses including work-related mileage. Staff are eligible for 80 hour of PTO per year. After one year with HVL, staff will also receive additional vacation hours and are eligible for 6 weeks paid parental leave. Staff attorneys may be eligible to apply for a Student Loan Repayment Assistance program through the Texas Access of Justice Foundation. HVL employment is eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. HVL will remain on a hybrid schedule and seeks to benefit from the talent and expertise of those needing flexible work hours and accommodations. Staff may work up to 3 days from home with supervisor approval.